Summertime can be awesome; however, these summer months can be hot, especially for your furry friend! So we decided to put together a list of 5 pet safety tips every pet owner can utilize for summer dog care and learn more about how to cool down a dog.
1 – Never Leave Your Pet Inside A Hot Car Alone!!!
This seems like an obvious one, but it’s always worth it to mention. Whether you’re on a road trip with a dog or out for a quick trip, never leave your pup alone in the car on a hot summer day (or any sunny day really)
Cars at any time of year become a sauna when exposed to the sun. Summer heat triples the danger. And no, “cracking a window” is not enough. Thousands of pets die from heat stroke or heat exhaustion in the car every year.
If you’re a pet parent with a Tesla – you CAN leave your dog alone in warm weather as long as “dog mode” mode is turned on. This leaves the air conditioning running while you’re away and protects your pup.
2 – Always have access to fresh cool water.
Hydration is very important at any time of the year, but in summer it becomes essential to always have a supply of cold water handy.
With the intense heat of the summer months, pets will feel very thirsty and consequently drink more water. If you notice excessive panting begins, be sure to offer them water or frozen treats if there is no drinking water close by. The frozen treats will still help cool down your dogs temperature.
For dogs with darker coats – we recommend seeking out multiple opportunities for shade to keep your dog cool when playing outside or on a walk/hike.
3 – Know when to go for a walk!
Do you go on barefoot walks at Noon during the peak of summer? We thought so. Dogs love to go on walks too (duh!), but walking on a hot day can be a painful experience and even cause serious injury to their paws.
Unlike us, dogs do not use shoes to protect their paw pads from a hot surface, they may even suffer second-degree burns on the pads. In addition, intense heat can cause hyperthermia, and in more serious cases it can even cause death.
For dogs, it is essential to walk during the cooler hours of the day, usually early morning or late evening
4 – Beware of Grooming
Watch out for the grooming. People have a common sense that shaving a dog’s coat will benefit them in hot weather, but this is not always the case.
Dog hair works very well to regulate body temperature; when we shave it, the dog can have serious problems self-regulating their temperature.
So, avoid cutting their fur and, instead, do a good daily brushing because dead hair can cause your dog’s body to heat up.
5 – Be very careful with your pet alone at home.
It is even more important to be extra conscious in the summer when leaving pets alone at home. We know that humans need to go to work and have their responsibilities. Often we can’t stay at home all the time
Therefore, before leaving the house, leave plenty of water available, and a fan or air conditioning on.
Just as with human children, it takes a village. If you can, ask a friend or a neighbor to check on your pet to make sure it’s okay.
Ding, ding, ding!
Bonus tip!
6 – Entertaining is key!
When we are out and about taking care of human business, our dogs can suffer from separation anxiety. Especially after all the time, we spent at home during covid. So have interactive toys to entertain your bestie while you are out!
So, if you are looking for a way to get both of you what you need, and improve your dog’s health, then by helping them engage in play, hunting, and chasing while you are out and about doing boring human stuff? Spin-a-Bones are toys for dogs that move, so they are a great way to meet your dog’s chewing needs while also improving their dental hygiene and working on their mental health and separation anxiety for those with working humans as tutors.
